South London set to welcome US soul legend Alexander O’Neal
By Paloma Lacy
US soul legend Alexander O’Neal’s career has spanned 50 years. It’s finally time for him to bid fans farewell.
The South London Press caught up with him as he hit the road in the UK one last time.
South London will welcome Alexander O’Neal to Fairfield Halls in Croydon on May 26, ahead of his final performance at the Royal Albert Hall, on June 7.
O’Neal, now 70 years old, is best remembered for songs such as Criticize, If You Were Here Tonight and Fake. His advice to the younger generation of singers is to be true to themselves in the musical choices they make.
After three years spent living in Manchester, rudely interrupted by Covid, today he is back in Minneapolis. There is a sense of him coming full circle for Minneapolis – the scene of a life-changing event.
Back in 1980, O’Neal was working with the late mega star, Prince and musician and songwriter, Morris Day. O’Neal was lead singer with the band, The Time, for a short time. No pun intended.
O’Neal’s questions about the inner workings of the band were met with silence.
According to O’Neal, Prince and Day thought he “had a nerve asking questions”.
“Prince felt he had to control everybody and everything around him,” O’Neal said.
“Needless to say, I’m not the kind of guy that follows a guy just because he’s successful and his name is Prince. Just because a guy’s a great musician doesn’t mean he’s a good business man.”
O’Neal arrived at Prince’s house one night to record and Day said they were getting ready to go to First Avenue – the famed nightclub featured in Prince’s 1984 film, Purple Rain.
O’Neal said: “I thought, we’re meant to be having a recording session here. I didn’t know I was fired already. I almost got fired before I was hired.
“Prince gave me $50. I guess that was my severance pay. Good situations can come out of bad ones.
“I thought: If I was good enough to be hired by Prince, then I must be good enough for the music industry.
“It only added fuel to the fire for me. My determination to become an international recording artist became even greater.”
Who are O’Neal’s musical heroes? Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack.
He explained: “Donny Hathaway was a genius. He didn’t get half the recognition he deserved as a songwriter and an artist. All the great stuff that Donny and Roberta did together. Roberta Flack’s voice will live on forever.
“God gives people a unique talent. That’s one of the reasons I’m still hanging around today doing what I do because no-one sounds like Alexander O’Neal. There’s only one Patty Labelle. There’s only one Gladys Knight. No-one sounds like them.”
And what of the artists of today?
O’Neal said: “I like John Legend. I didn’t like him at first because I didn’t understand his voice. I thought it was more gospel.”
Tickets for the UK tour are still available. www.alexander-oneal.com
Pictured top: Alexander O’Neal (Picture: Alexander O’Neal)